See Robbie Fulks' Contemplative Take on 'Alabama at Night'

With his new album Upland Stories, Robbie Fulks furthers his reputation as one of the most observant and wry songwriters of the past two decades. Released in April, the record showcases Fulks’ literary mind, one shaped just as much by authors as by songsmiths. For inspiration for Upland Stories, he often looked to American journalist and writer James Agee and his time spent in Alabama during the Great Depression. The result was three songs, the most imagery-rich being “Alabama at Night,” which Rolling Stone Country premiered in January.

Now, Fulks has released a live performance of the track, filmed during a showcase at the Hideout in Chicago, ground zero for his record-label home Bloodshot Records. With just an acoustic guitar, Fulks weaves the tale of a traveller with no place to lay his head. It’s a moving interpretation, poignant in its depiction of hardscrabble Alabama during the Thirties.